There are 3 models that roughly breaks down like so:

A - Standard runway takeoff, carries the second most amount of fuel B - VTOL, carries the least amount of fuel C - Carrier launched, carries the most amount of fuel.

There are tradeoffs each version makes. The F35 is the plane of the future for NATO and other US allies. Having the A variant able to take off and land from a highway allows (theoretically) you to have the less expensive to maintain A variant and deploy it all over your highway areas (Norway) for example.